Jailed ex-president gets first prison visit by wife

Former president Moshe Katsav met with his wife Gila on Friday for the first time since he started to serve his seven-year sentence, two months ago.

The visit lasted for over half an hour, during which Katsav wore a brown prisoner jacket over his clothing, according to Hebrew press reports. Prison regulations require convicts to wear an orange uniform while meeting with visitors, which Katsav has declined to do so since entering prison on December 7. His refusal had prevented him from receiving visitors, until a compromise was reached last week allowing his son to visit him while he wore the jacket but not the full prisoner attire.

Katsav was convicted of the rape and sexual harassment of an aide and, in March 2011, was sentenced to seven years in prison. Katsav continues to maintain his innocence and recently hired well-known attorney Yoram Sheftel, who has requested that the Supreme Court reconvene in order to review his case.